A conflict often arises in the minds of traumatized people between denying the terrible events that have taken place and having the will to proclaim them out aloud and being rid of the consequences. Trauma recovery may only be possible, or at least have a better chance of recovering, if the truth is fully recognized. However, most often secrecy prevails and the truth behind the terrible events may surface, but only as a symptom and not a verbal narrative.
People as well as society will often deny events that have taken place which are not to their liking, and there is thus an urgent need to recognize as well as understand the events that have taken place in the past so that it becomes possible to once again reclaim the present as well as the future. Rediscovering the past may hold the key to understanding trauma and get on the road to trauma recovery.
The Recovery Process May Need To Go Through A Number Of Stages
Trauma recovery may go through a number of stages that includes establishment of safety for the victim, reconstruction of the traumatic story, and restoration of the connection between survivor and his or her community. Trauma can be likened to Velcro because it connects internally in the nervous system. When one works with trauma one may also think that it is like working with fire because it helps to keep warm and also cooks food. However, when it goes out of control it can become very destructive. Therefore the road to trauma recovery should be traveled with care in order to help to build a sense of safety in the victim.
A person with trauma will usually be disconnected from his or her body to a certain degree, and this disconnection is an automatic way of protecting them. So, this need should be respected by those who are entrusted with providing care and are helping them to travel the road to trauma recovery. There are also certain trauma recovery tips that can prove helpful to those entrusted with such a task.
The first thing one can do to help a victim get on the road to trauma recovery is to talk to them because unspeakable trauma can be transformed into a more manageable one when it gets verbalized. It should also be understood that the victim may have his or her thinking ability severely compromised, and employers must be able to accommodate this in the case of traumatized persons. Other helpful tips include honoring individual differences in trauma reaction; recognize the value of tears and reaching out to those more directly affected.
